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The double-action handgun, whether revolver or autoloader, is a great threat management tool. The long, heavy trigger means that accidental discharges under stress are less likely to occur than with a light, short action. What happens, though, when shooting has to be done? The trigger that requires deliberate action to fire also requires more attention

Last month, we introduced the concept of the Human Weapon System and evaluated its assets and weaknesses. Now we’ll start to examine the components of the Human Weapon System (HWS) in detail. There is a glut of information regarding thought and integration of action in response to threat situations in the current body of data

HOW I LEARNED TO LOVE THE WHEELGUN I’m sure you’ve heard it before: someone asks, “Which is better: revolver or autoloader?” Everyone chimes in that revolvers are more reliable and simpler to operate. Over and over again. Yadda yadda yadda. Related PDN Video: Getting Started Shooting a Revolver Those things are generally true, but there

My fellow trainers note that some people eschew leather and have never even owned a holster that was not plastic. These people are missing out on one of the finer parts of firearms carry! While I am biased toward leather for my CCW needs, I do use Kydex for my duty rig. I have also

“Experience is only good if you learn from it.” Humans are a unique biological system. When placed in the context of defending itself, a human characteristically attacks and defends itself based on a complicated series of generational learning and unique anatomy and physiological constructs. In the initial evaluation, a human does not look very threatening

The late, great Col. Jeff Cooper, founder of the famous firearms school Gunsite, first called the issue of dealing with the criminal justice system after a self-defense shooting “problem two.” Specifically, he opined that surviving the deadly force encounter was “problem one,” and everything that occurred afterward (the emotional, societal and legal issues) was “problem

You may be familiar with an essay that I wrote in 2008 on the topic of Respectful Irreverence as an approach to tactical training topics. I want to explore an underlying theme in more detail, the theme of Sapere Aude, “Dare to Know.” Originally, this Latin phrase was used to advise people to “trust their

The Other Side of the Close-Quarter Dilemma Since Sean Connery’s unforgettable scene in the movie The Untouchables, the concept of “Don’t bring a knife to a gunfight” has become almost a cliché in the firearms training world. Indeed, most firearms training programs that include close-quarter shooting techniques advocate dealing with a knife-armed attacker by immediately

I make a big deal about efficiency. I use the word a lot. I sometimes correct people awkwardly when they say “effective” but mean (or should mean) “efficient.” The ease with which people interchange the two words without actually thinking about their different meanings is indicative of why the difference needs to be stressed. Merely

While preparing a personal safety lecture for a local group, I was looking for an opening that would get everyone’s attention. My audience was a group of teen and pre-teen girls and a few parents. The inspiration for the class was the recent abduction and murder of a seven-year-old girl. Being in an upscale community,